Officers receive surprise bonuses | News

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Eighty eight Warner Robins officers got a big pat on the back in the form of a surprise bonus.

Council member Tim Thomas says officers were owed thousands of hours of holiday time.

They couldn't take all the time off, because of a lack of manpower.

Thomas says the mayor and council found a way to pay the officers for their time, and get it off the books.

That totaled $174,882.44, for 9,781.5 hours of work, according to a city payroll coordinator.

Police Chief Brett Evans said the checks were a "very big surprise to officers."

He said, "It's something they've requested for years. We've worked on it as an administration for years, as well. This time it came true and came through. We were able to get the checks cut, and bring the officers in. We tried to hand out as many in person as we could, to see the look on their face. They were very happy."

Evans says some officers received a couple hundred dollars, some a couple thousand.

He says the money came from police positions that were funded, but went unfilled this budget year.

Tim Thomas called it, "The best thing we've done as a mayor and council."